System of electrical locomotion



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

P. WHEELER. SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL LOOOMOTION.

Patented July '1, 1890.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. WHEELER. SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL LOGOMOTION.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK YVIIEELER, OF MERI DEN, CONNECTICUT.

SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL LOCOMOTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,095, dated July 1, 1890.

Application filed December 28, 1889. Serial No. 335.236. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANKJVHEELER, of Mcriden, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Systems of Electric Locomotion; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of said invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in systems of electric locomotion in which a single car-track provided with turn-outs and an overhead trolley-track and conductor are employed, said track being of a kind to support a trolley traveling thereon In such systems it is customary for two cars meeting at a turn-out to exchange trolleys, the trolleytrack being single throughout its length that is, unprovided with turn-outs. Such exchange of trolleys is objectionable for several reasons, among them being the necessary stoppage of one or both of the cars and the eX- tinguishing of the lights in the cars at night during the disconnection of the depending conductors from the cars.

The object of my invention is to avoid these objections by rendering practical an arrangement of the trolley-track similar to the car-track, whereby each car may carry its trolley from end to end of the line without disconnection. These objectsI attain by the construction and combination of parts in which my invention consists, as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, which accompany and form part of this specification, Figure l is a plan View of my improved switch, the ends of the main-line trolley-track 00 being shown at the left and the ends of the turn-out tracks as 00 being shown at the right. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of the top plate of the pivot-rod, showing the stop-lugs thereof. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a turn-out and a switch at each end thereof. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of my improved clip, the parts being united. Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the clip, the parts being separated. Fig. 8 is a cross-section on line 8 8 of Fig. 6, and Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a double clip.

The switch A is composed of the frame a a (t of which the portions a are bars or rods connecting the end portions and the portion a is a brace connecting the two rods a at or near their middle. This brace a is provided at a point in a straightline between the tracks 00 and x with a circular plate 19', forming the under plate of the turn-tableB. The center is bored out to allow the pivot-rod c of the switch-track O to pass through. The upper end of the pivot-rod is screw-threaded, and i just below the screw-threaded portion the rod is squared or otherwise suitably angular in cross-section to fit a similar-shaped opening in the upper plate I) of the turn-table, a nut b on the end of the pivot-rod holding it in position. The two plates 1) b are annularly grooved to receive the anti-friction balls 6 To the lower end of the pivot-rod c is securely fastened the switch-track O, which in this form consists of a light board having thereon the two metallic ways 0', extending from track on to track m, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, and cut away, as at 0 for lightness. Brace-rods c extend from end to end of track 0, passing over hooks a, projecting one on each side of the rod 0, the track 0, rods 0 and pivot-rod 0. thus forming a light but strong truss.

A spring I), coiled around pivot-rod c, with its lower end secured thereto and the upper end secured to plate I) or to a pin b projecting downward therefrom, serves to keep the switch-track normally in the position shown by the full lines in Fig. 1,whereby the trolley D is free to pass from turnont track :13 to main track so.

The trolley D, (see Fig. 3,) having wheels d for running on the ways 0, is provided on one side with a bracket cl, having a vertical pin, on which is mounted the roller (Z To the frame at a is pivoted the guide E, its long arm e extending toward the brace a and its end being inside the path of travel of roller d of the trolley, and the shortarm 6 being kept normally against a stop portion a of the frame by means of spring 6 as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 3. It will thus be seen that when a trolley is moving in the direction of the arrow ,2 in Fig. 1 its roller (1 will engage the outer edge of the long arm 6 of the guide, and as the trolley is farther drawn by the moving car in said direction the trolley will be drawn to one side, and consequently the switch-track will be swung on its pivot-rod c to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, thus switching the trolley onto the right hand turn-out track :0 and as soon as the roller (1 has passed the pivotal point a of the guide and the trolley has passed onto track .12 the switch-track is moved back to its normal position by the action of the spring 19 leaving the switch in position to conduct a trolley from track as to tr'ackx. hen a car reaches the end of the line and is to return, the trolley is. not removed from its track. Consequently the rollers (l of two trolleys, passing each other on a turn-out, project in the same direction. Therefore, in order to allow the roller (1 of a trolley moving from track :1:' to track a: to pass the guide E, the said guide is pivoted at (i as above described,whereby the roller in so passing will simply push the guide slightly to one side, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l, and after passing the guide will be returned to its normal position by spring e On the brace (L or on the under plate b of the turn-table, are two stops f, against which the lugs f of the upper plate I) abut to limit the extent of movement of the switch; but since the guide E will cause a trolley to swing the switch but a certain distance I may dispense with the lug and stop for limiting the motion in that direction. The switchframe shown is angular in outline; but it is obvious that it may be circular or otherwise suitably shaped.

Other changes in details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention. For instance, the relative proportions of some of the parts may be altered, or the switclrtraek and its ways 0" need not be perfectly straight,it being only necessary that the ends of the ways shall be in line with the ends of tracks 00, 0c, and 00 when in theiroperative positions; also, to stop or limit the motion of the switch-track at each of its extremes I may bevel or shoulder the meeting ends of one of the ways a and one of the tracks a: and x asshown at 50 It will be understood that without materially altering the construction of the switch it may serve for a diamond crossing by securing the end of a fourth track in position to meet the left-hand end of the switch when it is in the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

By means of a pivoted switch-track, as described, a crossing at any angle can be arranged, the ends of th e trolley-tracks properbeing secured in thedesired direction and at the proper distance from the pivot of the switch track; but in such construction it will be necessary, of course, to operate the switch-track positively by external means, as by two cords connected to it and passing over pulleys such ing be made of it, but there can be no shortcircuiting through the switch-tracks, for the reason that in switching, when one end of a switch-track passes a live wire its other end is out of position to complete acircuit.

In Figs. 6, 7, and 81 illustrate in several enlarged views the clip for holding the ends of the track-wires where connected to the switch-frame, as at G inFigQl. I not only propose to use this clip at all .points where track-wires meet a switch-frame, but also at all points where the end of a track-wire is to be secured. The clip consists of a vertical plate g, having a horizontal portion g pro- .vided with holes for receiving the. screws which attach it to a hanger or other. desired support. Diagonallv across the face of plate 9 is a recess g one side of which is concaved or grooved, as at g meeting the concavity or 5 groove g on the top of the plate. The trackwire as is bent, as shown, to fit the two concavities, and the end of the wire is bent underneath, as shown at 9 After the wire is fitted to its place a key g is slipped into the recess and secured there by means of a screw passing through a hole of thekey into plate 9 or by other suitable means. Then the parts are so secured, it will be impossible to remove the wire, except by removing key 9 or by breaking the wire. The tops of plate 9 and key g are rounded to allow a trolley to run smoothly thereoverf When it is desired to join two wire ends at some intermediate point along the line,I propose to utilize a double clip, such as shown at G in Fig. 9, the clip being prevented from turning by being secured to a hanger. In this clip G, I make the recess with two 0on cave upward ly-diverging sides g g and make the key wedge-shaped, as shown at g It is obvious that I may vary the angle of the recess, and that the side thereof opposite the concaved side may be vertical, the key being correspondingly shaped; but the concaved side should be at such an angle to the top as to avoid a sharp bend in the wire at the point g Where the greatest liabilitywould exist of breaking.

To prevent short-circuiting through the brace-rods c and the metallic ways 0, I may interpose insulating material at 0 Having now described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 15-

stantially as described.

2. In a trolley-switch, the combination, with a swinging switch-track, of a spring for moving it in one direction, a stop for limiting its movement in that direction, a guide pivoted to the frame of the switch, a stop for said guide, and a spring for normally holding the guide in engagement with said stop, substantially as described.

3. A trolley having a bracket secured thereto and a roller mounted on said bracket, in combination with a switch-track frame having a guide pivoted thereto, substantially as described.

4. In combination with a pivoted or swinging switch-track, a guide located between the center of motion of the trolley-switch track and the end of an adjoining track, and a trolley having a projection adapted to engage said guide, substantially as described.

5. A switch for systems of electric locomotion, consisting of aframe and a switch-track pivoted in said frame and extending in two directions from the pivot, substantially as described.

6. A switch consisting of a frame and a switch-track pivoted at or near the center of the frame, in combination with a plurality of trolley-tracks terminating at said frame, substantially as described.

7. A clip for securing a trolley-track wire having a vertical plate, said plate being recessed, one side of said recess being inclined, and a key for holding the wire against said inclined side, substantially as described.

8. A clip for securing a trolley-track Wire, consisting of a vertical plate having a recess, one side of which is inclined and grooved, and the top of the plate being grooved from the recess to one end and convex or rounded from the recess to the other end, and a key having one side grooved, and means for securing the key in position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK IVHEELER.

Witnesses:

J. S. NORTON, J12, D. N. WILLIAMs. 

